As per the title, in Midlands North west, got this today, I don't understand why Nina Carbery is No. 1?

Edit: I can't seem to add a photo. Got a FG election flyer today for European elections, Midlands Northwest. The text is "I ask that you give Nina Carbery your No. 1 vite and that you give Maria Walsh your No. 2 vote".

What’s the most unpopular Irish political opinion that ye have? Can relate or pertain to any topic really.

Someone asked for a post on this in another thread so I just thought I'd write it up since the Locals and Europeans are just around the corner. I'm writing this on my phone so sorry for the crap formatting.

For anyone anxious about it, don't worry, it's really easy and you get used to it very quickly.

1. Finding your candidate.

First you'll want to pick who you're canvassing for, take a look at the candidates in your area and see who you most align with. If you have a particular party you like, check out their candidates (sometimes 'people') section on their website.

Next you'll want to contact them, most candidates have an email address etc you can reach them at. Send them an email or a message on their socials to let them know you'd like to get involved with canvassing for their campaign, you can get some information for when and where from the candidate.

You'll most likely be paired up with someone who's canvassed before to learn the ropes but if you want to make sure you can specifically ask for this.

2. On the doors.

So there's 2 things you may wind up doing leafleting or canvassing. For leafletting you'll be handed a candidate leaflet or letter and simply be asked to go around and pop them in letterboxes, you're not likely to get chatting to folks on this, usually just a drop and go but if someone does open the door just say something along the lines of "Hi, I'm coming around with 'candidate here' ahead of the elections, we're just dropping in some information"

If they want to chat try to get the candidates attention to come over and chat to the constituent.

For canvassing it's a little different, the goal is to get to chat to people so rather than dropping letters or leaflets in the letterbox and moving on you'll be knocking doors.

If someone answers just hand them a leaflet and say "Hi there, I'm coming around with 'Candidate' ahead of the elections, are there any local issues you'd like to raise?". The main goal here is ideally to give the candidate time to come over and chat.

Most people will just say thanks very much, take a leaflet and close the door, a few will want to have a little chat or might ask you questions, don't worry about having the answers, that's more for the candidate, you can just tell them you're a new canvasser and not sure while you get the candidates attention.

If the candidate wants you to use any particular talking points they'll usually let you know.

Never go into a house on your own, even if they're the nicest folks in the world. Just say you'd love to but you need to get around to the neighbours. Only ever go in if the candidate is as a pair. I've gone in to take a look at housing faults before but don't do it alone.

3. A bad door

So what do you do if you get a bad door? Honestly these are pretty rare, maybe 1 in 100 if even, most of the time if people don't like a party or candidate they'll just say "no thank you" and close the door, this is perfectly fine just move onto the next one.

If someone comes to the door and gets abusive, just walk, maybe toss out a "Fair enough, thanks for your time and have a nice day". Its one house among many and you shouldn't waste your time just to be harassed. Write down the door number as a reminder to avoid in future.

You'll see on the trail that most people, even if they disagree with you, are lovely and polite. Most people just want someone to listen to their concerns.

4. I don't want to canvass but I want to help

Great! Candidates need help with all sorts of things, we talked about leafletting already but there's other things too. Election posters will start going up soon and people will need help putting them up. You can always volunteer to help out them up or take them down. If you have the means to move them you can also help with collection or transport for posters.

Maybe you don't feel like climbing up or down a ladder, no problem, lots of candidates send letters and letter folding machines are expensive. If you've got a little time you can offer to help with that.

Are you great at social media? Ask your candidate would they like some help with theirs!

Honestly you can even just ask the candidate is there anything you can do to help them and they can tell you. There's no shortage of ways to get involved and show support.

I hope this is of some use to folks, honestly I can't recommend trying it out enough, it's actually quite exciting once you've gotten involved and just makes the elections even more interesting when the results come around.

Feel free to toss in any questions and I'll try to answer.

I’ve seen a few videos of Sinead Gibney and she is canvassing for a clearer Dublin City and cycle lanes while running to be an MEP? On about building homes ?

If this is the issue run for the local authority. I dunno I’m genuinely jaded by Soc Dems now. I thought they would move for Nordic style things and thought a new leader would bring something but they are just like the rest seemingly.

Campaigning on empty promises. Very disappointing

Anybody else getting sick of having immigration shoved down their neck from the various different media outlets we have in Ireland?

Immigration isn't even a top 3 issue for the vast majority of the people in Ireland yet it's being trotted around like it's the defining issue of the century.

Do you think they're pushing a narrative? Or just trying to sell papers?

Peter Casey the latest to declare.

Serious question, is the sheer volume of candidates going to be detrimental for the upcoming elections? Just 10 years ago there were 14 candidates contesting 4 seats in MNW. The ballots are going to be enormous and god only knows how long the counts will take.

All three constituencies have 20+ candidates now.

Edit: 26 in MNW now, nominations close tomorrow. Edit 2: 28 now. Wonder if it'll hit 30.

I'm not sure if its making anyone else nervous, but its making me pretty nervous seeing a lot of anonymous accounts on social media (Twitter, TikTok) talk about Ireland leaving the EU. It is quite an unsettling thought that this could be the future of this country. Its becoming more intense especially with the EU elections coming up soon.

I'm a first generation daughter of two immigrants who have built a commendable life for themselves in this country and its very clear where this leaving the EU ideology is coming from, especially after the recent attack and riots in Dublin. Does anyone think that we will follow the UK's path?

I personally don't think we have the stability to leave the EU and continue moving forward as a country especially with all the issues we face today. I really hope that this talk doesn't materialise. Its really a shame that immigrants have brought a bad taste to peoples mouths.

Orli Degani is the Soc Dems candidate for Dún Laoghaire in the locals. She and her husband run OH Degani consulting which seems to help Israeli Business expand in Ireland: https://ohdegani.com/blogs/news/new-event-market-benefits-in-ireland-the-e-u

They also hired Mickey Marienfeld Ferdman, whose husband Mark Ferdman is Head of Combat Physical Fitness for the IOF navy. He commanded a graduation ceremony for IOF terrorist officers. https://ohdegani.com/blogs/news/exciting-news-new-employee-😊

Orli Degani also has retweeted info. questioning Palestinian deaths by the IDF: https://twitter.com/ConorReddy95/status/1784323091016884572/photo/2

We criticize politicians for never getting anything much done or

changed when in office. However I don't believe that politicians get

elected without at least hoping to do something good for their

constituents or the country.

I put this to a former politician and he said that the senior civil

servants do not want any change. No rocking of the boat, we have a way

of doing things, and change is only to be incremental.

Prime Time reported on GDPR issues in road traffic accidents which

prohibit local authority engineers from accessing crash data. The Dept

of Transportation said that this would be sorted by the end of 2024,

but when asked about this in 2022, said that it would be resolved by the

end of 2022.

I look at Robert Watt, his engineering an extremely well paid job in

the Dept of Health with a massive salary increase, then his refusal to

come before the PAC. Then his scheme to get Holohan a job in Trinity,

paid for by the taxpayer, and 2 years later he brings him back to a very

nicely paid job in Heath again.

The collapse of the forest industry was managed by senior civil

servants, and they have seen to it that a very profitable industry has

been destroyed.

Why are they never named , shamed and called to account and if needs be, fired?

Their inability to run departments correctly is a stain that

tarnishes the entire public service. Truly, the dreck does rise to the

top.

Just before they interviewed Toibin. Holding a phone to film him.

Twitter has been a cesspit for a long time regarding politics but one thing I see on a daily basis is the likes of “Sinn Fein are traitors” etc

Would people be genuinely happy about having the same gov again for another term or would a change not be a good thing?

I don’t believe any other party is big enough to form a government.

So as the title suggests what are your best estimates for a general election in Ireland. I think November or February. But wondering what the mass thinks?